Irregular verb tables 1 (Edexcel GCSE German): Revision Notes
Irregular verb tables 1
Understanding irregular verbs
Irregular verbs are some of the most important verbs in German because they don't follow the standard patterns when forming their past tenses. These verbs change their stem vowels and sometimes consonants in unpredictable ways, which means you need to memorise their forms rather than applying rules.
The verbs in this table show the key forms you need to know: the infinitive, 3rd person present, 3rd person imperfect, and past participle. These forms help you construct different tenses and are essential for GCSE success.
Unlike regular verbs that follow predictable patterns, irregular verbs must be memorised individually. Focus on learning these four key forms for each verb, as they form the foundation for all German tenses.
Perfect tense auxiliaries - haben or sein?
When forming the perfect tense, most German verbs use haben as their auxiliary verb. However, some verbs require sein instead. The table shows which verbs take sein with an asterisk (*).
Key rule: Verbs that take sein are typically:
- Verbs of movement (gehen, fahren, kommen)
- Verbs showing change of state (werden, sterben)
- The verbs sein and bleiben
Important exception: Some verbs can use either haben or sein depending on whether they have a direct object:
- With direct object (haben): "Er hat das neue Auto gefahren" (He drove the new car)
- Without direct object (sein): "Sie ist nach Berlin gefahren" (She travelled to Berlin)
Essential irregular verbs - Part 1
| Infinitive | Meaning | 3rd person present | 3rd person imperfect | Past participle |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| beginnen | to begin | beginnt | begann | begonnen |
| bleiben | to stay | bleibt | blieb | geblieben* |
| brechen | to break | bricht | brach | gebrochen |
| bringen | to bring | bringt | brachte | gebracht |
| dürfen | to be allowed | darf | durfte | gedurft |
| essen | to eat | isst | aß | gegessen |
| fahren | to travel | fährt | fuhr | gefahren* |
| fallen | to fall | fällt | fiel | gefallen* |
Example sentences:
- "Wir beginnen morgen mit dem Projekt." (We begin the project tomorrow.)
- "Sie ist zu Hause geblieben." (She stayed at home.)
- "Das Auto fährt sehr schnell." (The car drives very fast.)
Essential irregular verbs - Part 2
| Infinitive | Meaning | 3rd person present | 3rd person imperfect | Past participle |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| finden | to find | findet | fand | gefunden |
| geben | to give | gibt | gab | gegeben |
| gehen | to go | geht | ging | gegangen* |
| gewinnen | to win | gewinnt | gewann | gewonnen |
| haben | to have | hat | hatte | gehabt |
| halten | to hold/stop | hält | hielt | gehalten |
| helfen | to help | hilft | half | geholfen |
| kennen | to know | kennt | kannte | gekannt |
Example sentences:
- "Ich finde meine Schlüssel nicht." (I can't find my keys.)
- "Sie gibt ihm das Buch." (She gives him the book.)
- "Wir sind ins Kino gegangen." (We went to the cinema.)
Essential irregular verbs - Part 3
| Infinitive | Meaning | 3rd person present | 3rd person imperfect | Past participle |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| kommen | to come | kommt | kam | gekommen* |
| können | to be able | kann | konnte | gekonnt |
| lassen | to allow/let | lässt | ließ | gelassen |
| laufen | to run | läuft | lief | gelaufen* |
| lesen | to read | liest | las | gelesen |
| mögen | to like | mag | mochte | gemocht |
| müssen | to have to | muss | musste | gemusst |
Example sentences:
- "Er kommt heute spät nach Hause." (He's coming home late today.)
- "Kannst du Deutsch lesen?" (Can you read German?)
- "Sie ist schnell gelaufen." (She ran quickly.)
Translation practice
Translation Practice:
German to English:
- Sie hat das Buch gelesen.
- Wir sind nach Hamburg gefahren.
English to German:
- He helped his mother.
- They came home early.
Answers:
- She read the book. / She has read the book.
- We travelled to Hamburg. / We have travelled to Hamburg.
- Er hat seiner Mutter geholfen.
- Sie sind früh nach Hause gekommen.
Exam guidance
Foundation and Higher tier: All highlighted verb forms in the table are required knowledge for both exam tiers.
Higher tier only: The non-highlighted forms are additional vocabulary that may appear in Higher tier papers.
Top tip: Focus on memorising the most frequently used verbs first - haben, sein, gehen, kommen, können, müssen, and mögen appear regularly in all exam papers.
Key Points to Remember:
- Irregular verbs don't follow standard patterns - you must memorise their forms
- Most verbs use haben in the perfect tense, but movement and change-of-state verbs typically use sein
- Learn the four key forms: infinitive, 3rd person present, 3rd person imperfect, and past participle
- Modal verbs (können, müssen, dürfen) are particularly important for expressing ability and obligation
- Practice regularly - these verbs appear in every aspect of German grammar and are essential for exam success